Cleaning material feeder for washing machines of the spray type



l 1,640,318 Aug. 23, N. w. HALSEY CLEANING MATERIAL FEEDER EOE WASHINGMACHINES oF TEE SPRAY TYPE Filed Dec.14, 1922 Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN W. HALSEY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SOAP FEEDER CORPORA-TION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CLEANING MATERIAL FEEDER FOR WASHING MACHINES OF THE SPRAY TYPE.

Application led December 14, 1922. Serial No. 606,770.

This invention relates to improvements in cleaning material feeders forwashing machines of the spray type.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a washing machine ofthe spray type with a device operable by a portion of the waterdistributed or sprayed by the spraying nozzles for measuring andcharging1 the wash-water with cleansing mate- 'I'la Another object ofthis invention is to provide a washing machine of the spray type withfeeding means which will automatically during the spraying operation ofthe machine charge the Wash water with a quantity of cleansing materialmeasured in relation to the amount of water sprayed inside .of themachine by the spraying nozzles and therefore in proportion to the washwater utilized in such machine.

Another object of this invention is to economize cleaning material bythe automatic delivery thereof to the wash water in the exact proportionto give such water the most eiiicient cleaning strength. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device that'will enable the automatic charging of the wash water for a relativelylong period of time, thus doing away with the necessity of feedingloosey cleaning material into the tank. y

Another object of my inventionl is to provide a washing machine of thespray type with an automatic feeding device that will so automaticallycharge and keep the wash water charged at the most eiiicient strengthwithout attention of any kind by the operator, and which willautomatlcally stop feeding the cleaning material or charging the washwater in the tank when the water passed through the spraying nozzlesinside the machine is shut oi.

Another object of my invention is to enable an automatic slow feeding ordrip and the automatic cut oil of a solution of a concentrated powderedcleaning material and the feeding of an exceedingly small quantity ofthis concentrated solution to the wash water in proportion to the amountof water passed through the nozzles ofthe machine, and therefore inproportion to the amount of work which is being done in the machine.

Another object of this invention 1s to produce a feeding device of thecharacter specified in which the proportion of cleaning material to thewater sprayed may be varied and the proportionate amount increased ordecreased to suit Avarying conditions of,A

work. a

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a' washing machine of thetype specified with a feeder for cleaning material which will be anindependent unit and not connected by piping to the water supply, andwhichy ma attachments of any kind. f Vith these and other objects inview, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangementof parts so comillustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a cross section of a cleaning ma-' chine of the spraytype embodying my auto'- matic feeder actuated by the spray water.-

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the automaticV feeding attachment shown inFig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig.v

2; and

Fig. 4 is a view in plan of the inlet-valve mechanism when thevcover isremoved and turned inner side up.

Referring lnoyv to these drawings, which illustrate a preferredembodiment of my invention, 1 indicates the outer casing of a dishwashing machine of the spray type which is provided at its lower endwith awash tank 2 above which is supported a strainer 3 and a dish rack4, in which rack dishes are suitably positioned.

Within the casing 1 is provided an upright supply pipe 5 which 1sprovided with the usual laterally-extending arms 5a and 5b,

on both of which are revolvably mounted therefore be removed andvreplaced at wil without special fittings and.

upper and lower wash-nozzles 6 and 68L respective'ly, which nozzles aredesigned to spray or diffuse water on, against and between dishes 4*I inthe rack 4. This sprayed or'diiiused water finally falls down throughthe strainer pan 3 and into the tank 2, after which such wash-water isumped by the pump 7 upwardly through t e upright pipe 5 and nozzles 6 soas to form a continuous circulation and dlstribution or' diiuslon 1ncontact with the dishes of such wash water l After initial washing ofthe dishes by such wash-water, the dishes are usually spra ed throughthe rinsing-nozzles 8. The ar' di- I tion of this rinsing water to thewash-water in the tank maintains the wash-water in proper'condition foruse, the surplus water and grease passing out of the tank through theoverflow pipe 2B. l i The foregoing is a description of one form ofwashing'. machine of thespray type, and standing by itself alone,constitutes no part of my invention which consists, however, inproviding a machine of this type with a 15 feeder 9 for cleaningmaterial which utilizes I a portion of the water distributed or sprayedby the spraying nozzles for its actuation and therefore enables anextremely slow automatic feed to be provided and also an automaticcut-oit' when the machine is stopped. In the preferred form of myinvention shown, I use such a portion of the sprayed water fordissolving owdered cle'ann material contained Withln the feeder, anprovide for the free discharge of such solution as formed from thefeeder into the wash water which will be charged with a quantity of suchcleaning material in proportion to the amount of such distributed orsprayed water admitted to the feeder, and the portion of such sprayedwater so utilized may be regulated by increasing or diminishin the sizeof the inlet aperture for suc sprayed or distributed water. l In thepreferred embodiment of my invention, my automatic feeder comprises anindependent unit which ma be inserted or supported at any place wlthinthe area of distribution or spray of water by the spray- 40 ing nozzlesand as shown, consists of a cylindrical container 10 which is preferablyformed of a non-corrodible metal and is loaded or charged to aredetermined point, -as for example to the Ibroken line 11 with asuitable powdered cleaning material which is readily dissolved in Water.Such material is usually intensely concentrated and therefore expensiveand only a relatively small quantity of the same is required to charge'the wash water so as to give thesame a cleaning strength of the highestefficiency and any additional material fed to the washwater is wasted.By the use of my feeding device, which utilizes in its operation a smallfraction of the sprayed or distributed water, I am enabled to charge thewash water with the very small quantity of such material in solutionthat is necessary to give such water the highest cleaning strength. Theuse of the material is thus economized. I am furthermore enabled toaccomplish these purposes without attention of any kind by the operatorafter the feeder is loaded and inserted into the machine. 4

In the preferred form of lmy invention I provide said container 10 witha removable cover` 1()a having a Water-shedding surface which isperforated to provide a relatively small inlet aperture 12 to admit apredetermined quantlty of the sprayed or ditl'used water. Obviously whenthe water distributed or diffused by the spraying nozzles falls on thewater-shedding top surface of the cover 10 a small quantity of'suchwater will enter any inlet orifice or perforation in thel top or coverand the quantity admitted will be determined by the size of the inletoriiicc in the cover, and the water so admitted will fall down upon thepowdered material, a portion of which powdered material will bedissolved and the amount of such solution will be definitely determinedby the quantity of Water admitted which is, as aforesaid, determined bythe size of the opening through the cover y10a of the container. Thisdissolved portion will pass down to the bottom of the container and Iprovide a series of discharge openings whichlare preferably large enoughto permit -free discharge of the dissolved material but small enough toretain the material in its powdered form. As illustrated, I provide onelseries of discharge openings 13 around the edge of the bottom of thecontainer and preferably provide another series 14 of dischargeapertures through the side Walls contiguous to the bottom of thecontainer. As illustrated, the side apertures 14 are provided withshields 15 open at its bottom.

In the preferred form of my invention I provide means whereby the sizeof the inlet opening may be varied at will and as shown employ a platevalve 16 mounted to rotate about a pivot 17 and having a series ofapertures 18 of varying size so that upon a rotation of the valve platethe size of the inlet opening therethrough which registers with the'Ipxerforation in the cover may be varied. evariation of such opening,however, is not absolutely essential as an opening or openings of anypredetermined size may be made in the cover so as to suit the conditionsin a given machine.

In operation, the small inlet opening or orifice '12 will allow anexceedingly small quantity or portion of the water distributed orsprayed by the nozzles to pass through said opening and drip into thecontainer and into the powdered material. This small portion of waterthen dissolves a part of the powdered material, passes in solutionthrough the powdered cleaning material to and through the dischargeopenings 13. In the event that these discharge openings 13 becomecloggedfrom grease or other extraneous matter, the cleaning solution will riseabove the same and pass out through the discharge openings 14. After thesolution asses through the discharge openings it is ed into the washwater in the tank so llO lated or controlled, and this in turn willcontrol the quantity of cleaning material dissolved and discharged so asto suit varying operating conditions. size of hole is selected,l1owever,to .suit a particular.machineforgiven conditions this size of hole maybe maintained permanently,

and it is also apparent that different feeders may be provided withvarying holes to suit varying conditions and varying sizes of machinesand classes of work.

Havin described my invention, I claim 1. A c eaning material feeder forwashing machines adapted to operate within a stream or shower of water,comprising a container having water shedding walls for confiningpowdered soluble cleaning material, sai container being provided on thatside upon which the water impinges with an aperture for receiving arelatively small portion of the impinging water and directing it tothermaterial within the container to form a solution therewith and meansto re late the effective size of said aperture, sai container also beingprovided on another side with apertures for allowin the liquid cleansingsolution to escape w ile retaining the powdered material.

2. A cleaning material feeder for washingmachines adapted to voperatewithin a stream or shower of water, comprising a container having watershedding walls for confining powdered soluble cleaning material, saidcontainer being provided on that side upon which the water impinges withan aperture for receiving a relatively small portion of the impinginwater and directing it to the material within the container to form asolution therewith and means to regulate the effective size of saidaperture, said means consisting of a 'movable plate provided with anaperture adapted to coincide with the aperture in the wall ofthecontainer, said container also being provided on another side withapertures for allowing the liquid cleansin solution to escape whileretaining the pow ered material.

3. A cleaning material feeder for washing machines adapted to operatewithin a stream or shower of. water, comprisin a container having watershedding walls 01' confining powdered soluble cleaning material, saidcontainer being provided on that side upon which the water impinges withan aperture for receiving a relatively small portion of the impinginwater and-directing it to the material withln the container to form asolution therewith and means to regulate the efy escape Once the properfective size of said aperture, said means consisting 0f a rotatable discprovided with an aperture adapted in various positions of the disc tocoincide With the aperture in the wall of theV container, said.container also being:

provided on anothjerffsidetwith apertures-for allowing the liquidcleansing solution to while retaining the vpowdered material.

f1. .A cleaning material feeder for washing machines adapted to operatewithin a stream or shower of water, comprisin a container having watershedding walls or confining powdered soluble cleansing material, aremovable cover for said container constituting the principal wall uponwhich the water impinges, said cover having an aperture for receiving arelatively small portion of the impingin water and directin it to thematerial wit in the container to orm a solution therewith and means toregulate the effective-size of said aperture, said container -'alsobeing provided on another side with apertures for allowin the liquidcleansing solution to escape whi e retaining the powdered material.

5. A cleaning material feeder for washing. machines adapted to operatewithin a stream or shower of water, comprisin a container' having watershedding walls or confining powdered soluble cleaning material, aremovable cover for said container constituting the principal wall u onwhich the water impin es, said cover aving a convex upper sur ace and anaperture at its crown for receiving a relatively small portion of theimpinging water and directing it to the material within the container toform a solution therewith and means to regulate thel effective size ofsaid aperture, said container also being provided on another side withapertures for allowing the liquid cleansing solution to escape whileretaining the powdered material.

6. A soluble material feeder for washing machines adapted to operatewithin a stream or shower of water, comprising a container for confininga solid soluble material, having upper walls com rising means to shedthe major portion o the water impinging thereagainst but to pass a smallortion of the impinging water tothe material within the container toform a solution therewith,

and a convex bottom wall having apertures adjacent its outer edgesadapted to pass the solution but to retain the solid material.

7. A soluble material feeder for washing machines adapted to operatewithin a stream or shower of water, comprising a container for confininga solid soluble material, having upper walls comprising side walls and atop cover wall com rising means to shed the major portion o the waterimpinging thereagainst but to pass a small portion of the impingingwater to thevmaterlal within the container to form a solution therewith,and a bottom wall for retaining the solid material, said side wallshaving apertures adjacent their lower edges ada ted to pass the solutionbut to retain the so id material.

8. A soluble material feeder for washing' machines adapted to operatewithina stream or shower of water, comprising a container for confininga solid soluble material, having upper walls comprising' side walls anda top cover wall comprising means to shed the major portion of the waterimpinging thereagainst but to pass a small portion of the impingng waterto the material within the container to form a solution therewith, l5and a bottom wall, said side walls havin apertures adjacent their loweredges adapte to pass the solution but to retain the solid material, andshields over said apertures adapted to shed the impinging water.

In testimon whereof, I have signed my name'to the oregoingspecification.

' NORMAN W. HALSEY.

